Together Forever

Chapter 5

Photo of Hayden to the side

Chapter 5.

“Come on babe, if were quite nobody will know were home.” I heard all the noise in the dining room stop when Hayden says that. I hear them coming my way so I quickly rush up the stair and into my room. I hear the door next to mine close so I figure that’s Hayden’s room. I rush back down stairs with my running shoes on and headphones in my ears. I tell Alexis I’m just going out for a quick run and I’ll be back later. I run down to a park and just sit on the swings there for a while before figuring I should be heading home. Just as I’m about to open the door it opens and out steps the girl from earlier.

“Who are you?” The girl asks.

“None of your business.” I reply before side stepping her and walking inside shutting the door behind me. I go back up to my room and play my music out loud through the speakers I had in my room. I was singing along to Benny Tipene’s ‘Walking On Water’ when my door opens. I pause the music before turning around and freezing.

“Turn your mu- Hailey?” that’s the last thing I hear before I black out.

I try to open my eyes but the lights were too bright.

“Close the curtains Damon!”

“Uh, Hailey who is Damon?” I look to my left and see Alex sitting there with a concerned look on his face.

“Just my old friend from North Carolina,” I tell him trying to sit up. I was about to ask where I was when all the memories come back. Hayden.

“Where’s Hayden? I need to see him.” I state before trying to get out of the hospital bed.

“Hailey! Lye down! You’ve been in a coma for a week. Hayden isn’t here because he blames himself for putting you in a hospital. No one has seen or heard from him since.” Jake explains coming into the room. I remember when Hayden and I were kids and whenever he was made at me or if I ever got injured he would always go hind in the same place. The trees behind the foster home.

“How much longer till I can leave?” I ask a doctor who had managed to walk into the room while I had spaced out. The doctor studies his chart before replying.

“Well Hailey, because of your speedy recovery you should be able to leave here by this afternoon. But I suggest you take it easy on sports and any other activities that you could lose a lot of energy in. I say that I can go and start signing some release papers now.” And with that the doctor left the room again to get the papers. I look over to Jake and Alex who seem to be having there own private conversation. I suddenly remember Hayden.

“Boys are there any large climbing trees around our house?” I ask hoping they wont ask why.

“Yes there are some opposite the end of the lane, why?” Jake replies. I just shrug and tell them it was nothing.

Around 3-4 hours later I finally got discharged. Once we were home I said I was going to sit on the front lawn for a while. I walked outside and made sure no one was watching before running off down the lane. I found the cluster of trees Jake told me about earlier with ease. I start walking under them looking up for any signs of Hayden. I was about to give up when I saw some leaves floating to the ground. I realized that there was no wind so someone must have picked them off. I started to climb the tree near where the leaves came from but stopped when I saw a large tree house in the next tree over. I quickly climbed off that tree and up the one with the tree house. The tree house was pretty high tech for LA but then I remembered when Hayden and I were kids we would love to build little sandcastles or building out of blocks and then Hayden telling me he wanted to be an architect. I find the door to the tree house and enter. I see Hayden sitting with his legs dangling out of the side and creep up to him hugging him from behind.

“I missed you Hay-Bay.”

“I missed you to Hails.”

“Did you ever think we would actually be together again?” I ask out of curiosity. Hayden just nods continuing to throw ripped leaves.

“I thought about you everyday. Nobody knows this but the reason I go out and get drunk and sleep with sluts is because I missed you and that was the only way to forget. Still that wasn’t enough. I still thought about you everyday and night. Some nights I couldn’t sleep, like our birthday or any holidays really. Hailey I love you so much.” I get pulled into a hug and we start crying together.

I managed to drag Hayden home after promising that we will finish building the tree house and make it unforgettable. When we get home we find everyone in the living room sitting quietly. When the door closes everybody shoots up. I move closer to Hayden’s side when I see that Alex has an angry face.

“Where the f*** have you been Hailey! We were so worried!” Alex shouts making me want to stand up and yell back at him. Letting my rebellious side get the best of me I do.

“I went out. It isn’t really any of your business Alex! Plus I would rather know where my twin is than sit at home worrying and look I do know where he is and I’m not hurt!” I shout back before dragging Hayden up to my room and slamming the door shut. I hear Hayden laughing from where he is standing. I give him a ‘what?’ look before joining in with the laughter.

“We really are twins! No one is brave enough to stand up against Alex or Jake they both had to go through anger management classes when they first arrived.” Hayden explains before collapsing onto my bed into another fit of laughter.

“I can say the same I mean the whole ‘player’ façade, I’m the same. Especially with the drinking part I used to go out and get drunk every night something I didn’t like came up and I would always get drunk when another kid got adopted.” I state collapsing next to Hayden.

“I’m glad were together again. Together forever?” Hayden asks

“Together Forever.”